All Through The Night
**Jamie and Anna's third child, a daughter, arrives earlier than expected. Jamie's in the middle of an investigation…and he can't be reached. The Reagan family dives in to get Anna to the hospital and take care of Mary Elizabeth and Joey.**
Jamie and Anna's House-early afternoon
Anna leaned back from the table to stretch her aching back.
She was due in thirty-six days…but who was counting?
In the meantime she had to plan Thanksgiving dinner…and get squared away for Christmas…bake…finish shopping…wrap the kids' presents…get the bassinet ready…wash the baby clothes they saved from Mary Elizabeth…
But who was counting?
Jamie had scheduled off the last two weeks of December…so he'd be home right around the time the baby got there.
And Anna couldn't wait. He'd been working so much lately, they barely saw one another.
She pushed herself back and stood up slowly. Her back was really sore today…and as much as she hated to do it…she went to the kitchen cabinet to get a couple Tylenol.
But as she reached up to open the door…she felt a sudden gush.
Uh-oh.
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She crossed back to the table and picked up her phone. She pressed number one on her speed dial and waited impatiently for the call to connect.
"C'mon…c'mon…" she muttered under her breath.
"You have reached the voicemail of Detective Jamison Reagan. I can't take your call right now but if you leave your name and number, I'll get back to you as soon as possible."
"Jamie…it's me. Call me as soon as you get this. It's important."
She ended that call and hit another number on the speed dial.
"Linda? It's me…"
"Anna…I'm just walking out the door…I'm late for work. Can I call you later?"
"No! Linda! My water just broke! And I can't get a hold of Jamie!"
"Okay…I'm on my way…" Linda told her.
"What about the kids?" Anna was starting to panic.
She usually had everything so planned out…she wasn't accustomed to having to wing it. She didn't have her bag packed…she didn't have things ready…
"Jack and Sean are home. They have off for Veteran's Day…I'll bring them with me and they can stay with Mary Elizabeth and Joey till Nikki can get out to your place."
Thank God Linda was so calm…
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Jamie and Anna's House-half an hour later.
Anna's contractions were about seven minutes apart…but they were getting stronger.
Linda let herself in using her key…and Sean and Jack were right behind her.
Both boys looked pale as ghosts. They'd never had to babysit their little cousins before…at least not by themselves. Neither teen had ever changed a diaper before.
"Okay…I called Nikki…she was in class…but she's on her way." Linda said.
Nikki was in her first semester at John Jay…
Anna nodded.
"The kids are still napping. They should sleep another hour or so."
She turned to her nephews.
"There's frozen chicken a la king thawing in the sink. Just warm that in the microwave and make each kid a slice of toast…just butter, no jelly. The sippy cups are by the sink, if they have juice, do half juice and half water. There's lunch meat and rolls and left over pasta you can make for yourselves if you need it. Nikki knows where everything else is…"
The boys nodded in a daze.
That was a lot to remember…
Anna turned to Linda.
"I tried Jamie again…it just went straight to voicemail."
"I tried to get a hold of Danny too…same thing. They must be together."
The Reagan brothers were working yet another case together. Although they weren't officially partners, the top brass couldn't deny…Jamie and Danny were a pretty unstoppable team. They definitely got the job done.
"We can keep trying on the way to the hospital." Linda said as she picked up Anna's overnight bag.
"I hope I didn't forget anything…" Anna said.
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St. Victor's Hospital-Labor and Delivery
In the car Anna kept trying to reach Jamie…and kept getting his voicemail.
Linda called Erin…who met them at the hospital.
Erin had called Frank…who had gone to pick up Henry.
Nikki had made it to Anna and Jamie's place so Sean and Jack were happy…
Now all they had to do was wait.
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The crime scene-A junk yard in Queens
"Tell me again why we're here?" Jamie asked, as he rubbed his hands together to take the chill off.
November in New York was not the ideal time to be on a scavenger hunt.
"Because the fine upstanding citizen we got locked up down at the 12th says this is where Buzzy Marchado dumped Gwen Peterson's body…" Danny said.
Jamie looked over the endless rows and rows of cars waiting to be compacted…it was gonna take a week to search them all.
He pulled out his phone and called the K-9 unit…totally missing that he had eleven missed calls and three new voicemails.
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St. Victor's Hospital-the waiting room
Frank and Henry were in the waiting room when Renzulli came running in.
"What happened? Did she have it yet?" he asked breathlessly.
Frank shook his head.
"No…not yet, Tony…"
"Thanks for callin' me, Commissioner…" Renzulli was still trying to get his breath.
"No problem…" Frank replied.
He'd pretty much given up reminding Renzulli to call him 'Frank'. Even though it had been about five years since Jamie and Anna first got together…Sergeant Renzulli was still uncomfortable rubbing elbows with the brass.
"Where's Jamie?" Renzulli asked.
"We've been trying to reach him…his cell must be outta range." Henry said.
He turned to his son.
"I can't believe that with all the technology you've got down at One PP you can't track him down."
Frank rolled his eyes.
"Not even the Commissioner can justify using a satellite to track down an officer to tell him his wife's in labor, Pop."
"Why the hell not?" Henry grumbled. "I could…"
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St. Victor's Hospital—Labor and Delivery
In the labor room Erin clicked off her phone.
"That was Nikki…she said to tell you everything's fine. The kids had their dinner…and she gave them their bath…and got them ready for bed. Jack's reading to Mary Elizabeth…and Sean's putting Joey to bed right now. They've got everything under control."
Anna nodded…as another contraction began. She gripped Linda's hand.
"Short breaths…" Linda said. "One…two…three…four…"
Thank God for her sisters-in-law…
Erin refolded the washcloth and placed it back on Anna's forehead.
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The crime scene-the junk yard
Danny's phone vibrated in his pocket.
"Yeah, Dad?" he said. "I'm in a junk yard at the ass end of Queens…yeah…Jamie's with me."
He listened for a minute.
"What?! It's too soon, ain't it? Yeah, yeah…we're on our way. Be there as soon as we can!"
He ended the call.
Then he gave a loud whistle to get his brother's attention
"Hey, Kid!" he called.
Jamie looked up, annoyed. He hated when Danny called him "Kid"…especially at a crime scene.
But his brother was gesturing like a wild man.
Jamie jogged over.
"What?"
"That was Dad just a second ago." Danny said as he grabbed Jamie's arm and started steering him toward the car. "We gotta get to the hospital…Anna's water broke…"
"What?! She's still got five weeks till her due date!" Jamie gasped.
"Well…I guess your kid got tired of waitin'." Danny said as he jumped in the driver's seat.
Jamie hit the lights and the siren…and grabbed the radio to let dispatch know they were heading off.
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St. Victor's Hospital-Labor and Delivery
Anna's contractions were coming almost one on top of the other. And the doctor was checking her again…
"Okay, Anna…you're about nine centimeters…"
"I've gotta push…" she gasped. "Please…just let me push!"
The door flew open and Jamie ran into the room.
"Anna!" He gasped, out of breath having run like a madman since Danny had stopped the car.
"Jamie! Thank God!" Anna cried with relief. "I was afraid you wouldn't get here…"
Erin moved aside and let her brother in.
Jamie leaned down and kissed his wife.
"I'm sorry, Baby…I'm so sorry…"
Anna crushed his hand in hers.
The doctor looked up.
"Anna? We're all set up here…I want you to push with the next contraction…"
He didn't even finish his sentence…
The next contraction started…and Anna pushed with all her might.
It didn't take long…and Jamie heard the tiny wail of his newborn daughter.
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St. Victor's Hospital-Anna's room
Anna was asleep.
And Jamie sat beside her in the chair…holding his tiny daughter.
The doctors had rushed the baby up to the NICU to check her out…but other than being only four pounds, fourteen and a half ounces…and sixteen inches long…Jamie couldn't have asked for a more perfect child.
There was a knock on the door…and Renzulli poked his head in.
"C'mon in, Sarge…" Jamie said softly, barely tearing his eyes away from the little bundle in his arms.
He stood up as Renzulli approached him.
"Everybody okay?" Renzulli asked.
"Everybody's fine…" Jamie answered. "Anna was just exhausted."
He looked down at the baby.
"You tired your Mommy out, Baby Girl…" he said with a smile.
"Can I hold her?" Renzulli asked.
"Absolutely…" Jamie told him.
He passed the tiny bundle to his old partner…and his good friend…and for all intents and purposes, his father-in-law…
"Uncle Tony…meet Margaret Eileen Reagan."
Renzulli looked up…his eyes wide with shock.
"Margaret?" he asked, not certain he heard right. "That was my mother's name."
Jamie smiled.
"We know, Sarge…we know."
Renzulli had tears in his eyes as he looked back down at little Margaret. Then he sank down into the chair Jamie had been sitting in and began to sing softly.
Sleep, my love…And peace attend thee…All through the night
Guardian Angel God will send thee…All through the night
And soft the drowsy eyes are creeping…Heal and fade in slumber sleeping
Love along His watch is keeping…All through the night
Sleep, my love and peace attend thee…All through the night...
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Note: The song is All Through the Night...and the website I went to credits it to Shawn Colvin...but it's a lot older than that. I remember my father singing that song to me as a child.